Keep on chasing star trails
Community events and open calls for writers & writing
Hello, writers. Welcome to The Good Egg Project Newsletter!
This week’s newsletter title is borrowed from Star Trails by Derivakat
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is currently reviewing all public spending, Campaign for the Arts is calling for the public to remind the UK Government that the arts make our lives happier and our communities stronger. They’re encouraging CFTA members and the public to push the government to invest in the arts now.
‘This Labour Government was elected on the promise of a decade of national renewal. By the end of her Spending Review on Wednesday, June 11, the Chancellor will have decided whether the arts are part of the picture: whether to continue to shrink arts and culture funding until 2029, or whether to turn the tide.
The arts are not a luxury, but an essential ingredient in a healthy society. For us to thrive, the arts must too.
However, the UK has one of the lowest levels of government spending on culture among European nations. Cuts are continuing under this government: the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) budget has already shrunk by 6% this year.
This Spending Review is about our longer-term prosperity. Now is the time to remind the Chancellor: cuts to culture are cuts to our collective potential;investment in the arts is an investment in us all.’ - Campaign for the Arts
Campaign for the Arts has laid out exactly what they want to see from this year’s government spending review. You can read the full breakdown of what the shrinking of the DCMS budget means on the CFTA website.
Community events
The Chicken Coop Writing Group
Join me tonight, Tuesday, May 27, at Lost in Leith Bar from 6-8 pm for the next Chicken Coop Writing Group. We’ll be book swapping, writing, and (optionally) sharing our work with our wonderful community of curious creative writers. All kinds of writers are welcome, so bring your poems, short stories, scripts, monologues, stand-up, and whatever else tickles your fancy along. I’ll be bringing some prompts, but you are also welcome to work on your own projects too!
Grab yourself a pay-what-you-can ticket on Eventbrite
Brand new monthly queer spoken word night kicks off today, Tuesday, May 27, at blend in Dundee. Un-Hushed is kicking off events with feature Gray Crosbie and support from Morgan Black and Fiona Jane.
Book tickets on the Icebreaker website
Rosie Jo Hunter is back at Nice N Sleazy in Glasgow for the next installment of the Sleazy Speakeasy tonight, Tuesday, May 27. Join her and Glasgow’s star-studded scene for this spoken word and hip-hop open mic with a houseband to create unique pieces!
Follow Sleazy Speakeasy on Instagram to stay up to date with their events
Join poet and host Ross Wilcock at The Alchemy Experiment in Glasgow for this month’s Poetry Experiment open mic tomorrow, Wednesday, May 28. The Poetry Experiment is a monthly poetry and storytelling open mic for writers and performers of all stages of the craft. The event is an inclusive, safe space for everyone to express themselves and share their work. Featuring special guests and collaborations with Scottish arts organisations, The Poetry Experiment is the new place for poets and writers! Bring yourself, bring your pals and enjoy a cosy night of performances.
Grab an audience ticket on Humanitix
Anoraq and U Belong are teaming up tomorrow, Wednesday, May 28, for the latest Inside Voices at King Tut’s Bar in Glasgow. This month they’re joined by poets and writers Amada, Chisom Okoronkwo, Ciaran Shadow, Peilin Shi, and Diljeet Kaur Bhachu. Entry is free.
For more information check out the Inside Voices Instagram
Join shore Poets this Thursday, May 29, at The Waverley Bar in Edinburgh for an evening of poetry and music. This month, they’re welcoming poets Marianne Macrae and Tim Craven to the mic, with music by The Self-Righteous Brothers. There’ll be open mic slots on the day, so get down there quick to take part!
Find out more on the Shore Poets Instagram
Bulb! is back at Lilybank Gardens in Glasgow for another stacked afternoon of poetry and prose this Friday, May 30, from 2.30 pm. This week they’re welcoming Ciara Maguire, Q Manivannan, Christie Williamson and Cat Boyd to the garden.
Get more information on the Bulb! Readings Instagram
As the wheel of the year begins to turn towards summer, join guest storyteller Kate Walker for tales of wonder, mystery and imagination at the Waverley Bar on Friday, May 30. Expect stories of darkness and light, and stories to entertain and ponder at another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club. They’ll have the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a special guest storyteller.
Find out more on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website
The Shape of Stories: Storytelling 101 Writing Workshop
Join Humor Mill for this writing workshop with editor and writer Heather Kondak Ross on Sunday, June 1, at Monkey Barrel Comedy in Edinburgh. Fringe hour, play, short story, or your first five minutes of stand up - whatever kind of story you'd like to tell, this workshop is ideal for learning more about the shapes and structures that will really make your work shine.
Get tickets on Eventbrite
Shut Up! It’s a trans performance night!
Join Glasgow Trans Dinners at stereo in Glasgow on Monday, June 2 for this evening of poetry, comedy and spoken word. The event is free and a great chance to meet new people and soak up some spoken word performances from some of Glasgow's most exciting Trans performers.
Book free tickets on Eventbrite
An Exploration of Queer History
Join Seed Talks on Tuesday, June 3, for this online talk exploring queer icons, symbols, and subcultures with YouTuber and author Rowan Ellis. Queer history has long been rewritten and censored. Rowan will explore the secrets of LGBTQ+ history that were never taught in school, and reexamine the history taught to reveal the hidden queer connections within.
Together you will look at the ways queer people have built community even in the most hostile moments of history, from the hidden meaning of flowers, to a secret queer language that is still use today. Rowan will reveal tales of queer joy, anger, and love that span from the perilous waters of pirate ships to the quiet of hospital bedsides. You will examine the tactics of erasure that have been used against queer people, and through uncovering stories of real lost figures and little-known stories from our past, will learn vital lessons about the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ equality and liberation.
Book a ticket on Eventbrite
Porty Pride is back next week from Friday, June 6, to Sunday, June 8. This year’s programme highlights include The Story Sessions on Friday, June 6, at Tribe Porty, the Porty Pride Film Night at Portobello Town Hall on Friday, June 6, the Pride Wand Making Drop-in Workshop at Edinburgh Tool Library on Saturday, June 7, a Queer Poetry Workshop with Éadaoín Lynch at Portobello Library on Saturday, June 7, Protests, parades and pinkwashing: the politics of Pride, past, present, and future at Portobello Library on Saturday, June 7, and the Big Queer Poetry Night at Portobello Town Hall on Sunday, June 8.
Explore the programme and book tickets on the Porty Pride website
Award-winning Queer Folks Tales is back in Inverness on Saturday, June 7, for an evening of LGBTQ+ storytelling. QFT is then down in Glasgow on Tuesday, June 10, before rounding out its pride tour at The Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh on Thursday, June 12. Don’t miss out on these surprising, moving, hilarious, fruity stories from queer people across Scotland.
Get more information about each show on the Queer Folks’ Tales Instagram
I’m back at August_21 in Newington for another collaboration with Orémi on Tuesday, June 10. Join us for the last Words & Friends of the summer from 6-8 pm. We’ll be writing together, making friends, and taking time to enjoy August_21’s delicious range of cakes. Don’t miss out!
Grab tickets on Eventbrite
Candice Chung and Katie Goh: a literary celebration of food and home
Join authors Candice Chung and Katie Goh for a literary celebration of food and home at The Alchemy Experiment in Glasgow on Wednesday, June 11. Candice and Katie are celebrating the release of their memoirs Chinese Parents Don’t Say I Love You and Foreign Fruit: A Personal History of the Orange. They’re joined by brilliant writers Alice Mah (author of Red Pockets), Eddie Kim and Deborah Chu who will be reading their own works which also explore themes of food and home. The event is free and unticketed.
Get more information from this post
Open calls for writers & writing
Folklore Wisdom vs Wellness Clickbait
Class Therapy is open to submissions for its June issue, Folklore Wisdom vs Wellness Clickbait. They’re collecting the good stuff: Sayings your dad lived by, that one line aunty always said that turned out to be true, quiet wisdom passed across tables—with love, and maybe a backhanded compliment, regional phrases that land harder than any therapy quote, and they want the stuff that made you side-eye: wellness tips that cost more than your food shop, self-care that felt more like self-blame, insta therapy that gave you the shivers, and thoughts on toxic positivity, abundance chat, relationship coaches, and pastel aesthetics. Send Class Therapy your poems, stories, a single sentence, or artwork. You don’t have to be a writer - just have summat to say. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, June 24.
Head to the Class Therapy Substack to get in touch and check out this post for more submission information
Got a poem that won’t stay quiet — but you’d rather not shout it from the rooftops? Glasgow Women’s Library sees you. If you’re full of words but not into the drama of traditional slams, the Calm Slam is for you. It’s poetry for introverts, a soft space for bold messages — and this year’s theme is music. You can share your poem in a video — in front of the camera or behind it. However you show up, GWL is listening. This gentle competition is for every woman who writes from the shadows, the soul, or the silence between the notes. The deadline for applications is Friday, July 11.
Get more information here
Literary Fandom and the Queer Self
Researcher Andrea Day is looking for queer people involved in literary fandoms to take part in this research questionnaire and to submit work for a creative zine. Literary Fandom and the Queer Self is a research project with two parts: one, an interview based research paper, two, a creative zine with submissions from people involved in queer fandom. The research paper aims to unconver how queer people are engaged with literary or bookish fandom and fandom creation practices and how that engagement influences the understanding of the queer self.
This zine aims to explore how people engage with and understand their queerness through fandom and fandom based creativity. We are asking for submissions of creative writing, art, cosplay, photography and personal essays that surround this topic. Please keep fiction and non-fiction submissions under 2,000 words. If submitting poetry please submit up to five pieces. If submitting artwork or photography please submit up to three pieces. There is no stated deadline for submissions.
Get more information and fill out the questionnaire with this Google Form
We, The Poets wants to hear your poems! WTP is a podcast that’s very much open for submissions. Maybe one of their conversations has inspired you, or you’ve written something that you want to share with the team, send them an audio recording of you reading it - they love WAV files best. WTP plans to share as many poems from our listeners as possible! There is no stated deadline for submissions.
Email your submissions to mark@wethepoets.com or find out more and get involved at wethepoets.com
Thanks for reading!
What a great range of events and open calls I’ve dug up this week. There’s loads to do and even more to see, so hopefully you find something that catches your eye.
This week, we hit more than 700 subscribers for or newsletter, which is amazing (with lots of thanks to The Edinburgh Minute for highlighting this work and to all of you for sharing our newsletter and events with your communities)! I’m so happy so many people are finding the opportunities and events they need to thrive as writers. I can always do with more help to find more events, open calls, opportunities and to reach other writers based in Scotland. So, please fill out our listings form to get your opportunities into the hands of writers of all kinds and stages.
If you’re an organiser or community member who’d like to highlight an event or reach our community of curious creative writers, fill out this Google Form and I’ll add your event or open call to future newsletters!
I’ll be back in your inboxes tomorrow with a summary of today’s Chicken Coop Writing Group!
Until then, take care of each other,
Naomi
P.s. Word of mouth is so powerful for our community, it helps writers connect with new opportunities and to build their practice and skills - whether they’re doing it professionally or for their own pleasure. So, please share this newsletter with any writers or writing-curious people in your life